REFLECTOR: Dead Aeroflash power unit

[Hiroo Umeno]

Thanks y'all.  I am taking that thing apart this evening.  They riveted the case shut so it will take a bit of handi-work with a Dremel.

Hiroo

From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On Behalf Of Ron Brown
Sent: Monday, April 09, 2007 9:42 AM
To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Dead Aeroflash power unit

Hiroo,
For $5, its worth a try!  By the way, Whelen has a similar problem if left unused.  I got this out of my notes:

"Just firing up after a long period of not using your

strobes WILL ruin the capacitors.  Maybe even cause them to explode!

Whelan warns against this.


Proper procedure is to remove the flash tube, apply 75% of normal supply

voltage for 10 to 15 minutes. Wait until the capacitor discharges ( hour).

Re-install the flash tube. You can then use full voltage without harming the

capacitor. All this and the full story in the November Issue of the Experimenter, p 39! (don't know what year - 2000?)



Speaking of strobes - I found that if the inside of the heavy glass strobe tube cover is turning milky colored, it is a sign that moisture is leaking in.  After buying two replacement tubes over two years, my I/A friend had a used spare he had pulled.  We sealed the glass to the rubber strobe seat with RTV.  That strobe is still working after 10 years!

Ron
----- Original Message -----
From: Hiroo Umeno<mailto:humeno at microsoft.com>
To: reflector at tvbf.org<mailto:reflector at tvbf.org>
Sent: Monday, April 09, 2007 11:53 AM
Subject: REFLECTOR: Dead Aeroflash power unit

Hello folks,

In inspecting my plane this weekend, I found out that my left wing flasher wasn't flashing.  After a rather lengthy contortionist acts with the wrenches, I pulled both left and right side flasher power unit and determined that the failure follows the power unit that came out of the left wingroot.

In reviewing the FAQ from the Aeroflash's web site, I discovered that these things have "shelf life" where if they sit inactive for over a year, they are likely to fail when you get it started up.  Given that the thing has sat for over five years without running power to them, I can imagine them going "bad".  According to the site, the problem is in the electrolytic capacitor that loses its polarity and overheats when powered back up.

That gives me enough information to "refurb" the unit for probably less than $5 when the new one is over $100.  I am quite handy with soldering iron and am comfortable messing around in the electronics.  The question is...  Is that advisable?  Has anyone seen this happen and successfully repaired it?

Hiroo
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